Fire's Canto: A Guardians of Ga'Hoole Tale
by Sgt. Nolisten
Summary: Every living thing has a fire within. But only one is fire personified. A myth in our world… becomes a legend in theirs.
1. Chapter 1

**Summery:**

**Every living thing has a fire within. But only one is fire personified. A myth in our world… becomes a legend in theirs.**

* * *

"Otulissa, do you have any idea what species it is?" Soren asked his friend. At first, he and the Band held nothing but contempt for the Spotted Owl, but over time, after many 'adventures', they had grown to respect an like her knowledge and character.

She stared long and hard at the object that her Barn Owl friend and fellow Collier had brought with him into her hollow. She had recently been promoted to the Ga'Hoolology ryb, and had been unable to join with her old chaw for their most recent coal gathering mission they just returned from. And in doing so, she had not been there when the chaw had to give up all the gathered coals to save the object Martin had found towards the middle of the flames.

"…No, I don't. I mean, I've never even _heard_ of a species of animals that lay eggs such a bright orange, or any shade of orange at all! And it's so _warm_ too…"

The object before them was indeed an egg. A bright orange egg that Martin had found in a burrow under a tree **(1)**. So orange that the egg actually seemed to _glow_ from the surrounding flames, according to Martin.

It was amazing how the little (Northern Saw-Weat) was able to carry the large orb from the flames and into the air to the rest of the chaw nearby. Bubo wasn't happy over the fact that they had to give up several high grade coals, but he accepted the fact since nothing was worth the life of an unborn.

"What could it be then? If you don't know what it is, which is shocking in and of itself, and Ezylryb hasn't found anything after scouring our entire library, how in Glaux's name our we supposed to know how to properly care for it?"

"I don't know Soren. The best thing we can do is wait till it hatches for us to know. Just be patient."

Soren sighed. "Alright… I'm sorry I yelled. It's just that Pelli tells me that she's with eggs is stressing me out to hagsmire and back. And now that we have an unknown egg and no idea who it belongs to or how to care for it, is just not helping."

Otulissa said nothing. Just looked at him in sympathy and placed a comforting wing on his shoulder.

"…May I ask for a favor?" He asked, looking up at his friend when an idea came to him.

"Sure, as long as it's not anything like taking care of the egg or something silly like that."

Silence was her answer.

"…Please don't tell me it's that…" she pleaded.

Continued silence.

"But, why me?" she shreed.

"Because you're the best choice. None of the other hollows except for the rybs are warm enough for an egg to be left alone. The Band can't take it for differing reasons. The rybs, with the exception of you, have to meet with their chaws every night for hours on end, while Ga'Hoolology has to only meet for a few hours two to three nights a week. And I won't ask Pelli to help take care of it with how moody she's been."

"Why not Bubo?"

"Bubo taking care of an egg…?" Soren died off to give emphasis on what he said.

They both started to churr loudly at the thought. They ment no offence to the blacksmith, but the thought of him calming down his firey personality enough to nest sit for an egg was amusing to say the least.

"Alright, fine. But I had better not be alone on this."

"I promiss to help when I can. And so will the others when we tell them."

She nodded at that, and they manuevered the egg into her nest. It really was an unusual egg. After that was done, and Soren had left for his own hollow, Otulissa added fuel and poked the flames in her grate, making them flare up. Finding the hollow a comfortable temperature, she looked at the egg once more, before turning in for the day.

'_I have a feeling that whatever you are, you'll become something great.'_ She mused before setting herself down onto it, getting used to the sudden change of tempurature as Madame Plonk began to sing.

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**(1) Just imagine something like the rabbit hole under the tree in the new version of Alice in Wonderland.**

**Heyya people! New story for an amazing book series that's soon to become a movie. AND I'M GEEKING OUT ABOUT THAT!**

**Now, for everyone who's following my other stories, I'm sorry it's taking so long, but for the past year I've been trying to go out with a blast for my senior year (Universal's Grand Bash was AWSOME!) and I've also been suffering from a spiritual and, in turn, mental sickness lately. If someone is a preacher, or knows a preacher who'd be willing to help via PM's, I'd be extreamly happy.**

**What's in the egg? If you haven't figured it out already, focus on three points of interest.**

**1: It's a VERY bright color**

**2: It's pretty warm on it's own, even though it was taken out of the fire at least a day ago**

**3: It was found in a freaking fire.**

**Now, take a look at the summery and figure out what it is. And no, it doesn't have scales.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Aw man! I was so totally going to update on Monday, but I forgot! So sorry that you have such a forgetful idiot as an Author my peeps!**

**In compensation, I'll give you a sneak preview to a future (FAR future as far as I'm concerned) chapter.**

* * *

"Soren, I'm very worried about the egg," Otulissa said to the Barn Owl during the Tweener.

"So am I. I mean, it looked so much brighter when we first brought it in and now it looks more of a murkie red than the lusturous orange it was," Soren replied, worry bathing his tone.

It had been a concerning few weeks for the group as the egg progressivly looked worse and worse. And since they had no reference to go on, they could only rely on looks and gizzardly feelings. What each is telling them is that the egg is NOT doing good.

"Yeah, it used to be so warm too. So much so you could barely sit on it, and now it feels like you're just sitting on a regular owl egg," Twilight pitched in. After the rest of the Band and the Chaw of Chaws had been filled in, as well as asked to do what they could to help, the Great Grey that was Twilight gave the biggest fuss after being asked to become a broody for the egg from time to time before finally agreeing. However, the rest could tell it was all just for show as he had probably made up his mind on the matter before even being asked. He just made trouble to keep up the appearances of being the "tough owl that he was", even if he probably had the biggest bleeding heart. All you had to do was find the right opening to see it. **(1)**

"I think you should move it closer to the grate and keep a fire going," Digger pitched in. "After all, Marton DID say that it seemed to glow when it was near the fire, and yet it seemed to lose that glow the further from the warmth it got."

"What? But with the warm front of spring coming in, I'll BAKE in that hollow!" Otullisa protested.

"Either you bake or that chick might DIE!" the previously quiet Gylfie stated, shocking the rest of the group. Heck, she looke shocked herself at her own outburst. She didn't know why she said it, only that she felt like it was the right thing to say.

"Gylfie, why do you say that?" Soren asked his closest friend.

"I-I don't know… I just feel it in my gizzard." The group fell silent after that, feeling in their own gizzards that she was right.

Now, an owl's gizzard is a wonderful organ for many reasons. One of which is for the unique digestion trait that they provide **(2**). But the biggest is that evey owl feels it's most profound feelings within. To say the phrase "I feel it in my gizzard" has a great impact in an owl sociaty, because most of the time, anything felt by the gizzard to be right, actually is. It's not perfect, as there are times that it is wrong, but it still hold's true.

"…Alright, after we're finished here, come up to my hollow and we'll check it out."

"Agreed," everyone stated, almost giving it the air of an oath than the feeling of acknowledgement.

Ms. Plithver couldn't help but shiver after hearing all this.

* * *

As Otulissa and the Band moved into her hollow to move the nest over, she couldn't help but take a long look at the egg. It looked almost pathetic now compared to how it looked only a few weeks before.

"Okay, let's move this over then."

As Otulissa and the male portion of the Band began to move the Spotted owl's nest closer, Gylfie got a small fire going in the grate. And almost immediately, the egg began to improve the closer it got to the flames. Murky red brightened to a dull orange, and slowly back to that lustorus shine it had before.

And it also…

…

Began to rock.

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**I know what you guys are thinking. "Aw, why such a short chapter Sarge?" and "Can we have the preview right now?" The answers are, "Because I felt this was a good point to stop for this chapter, and I felt like being cruel" and "Not until I finish the short list of footnotes.**

**(1) If you look closely, there are actually several moments in the series where this proves true.**

**(2) Yeah, if you love spewing crap out of your mouth. Pun is intended.**

**Okay, now for a special chapter addition of _Fire's Canto_. Iiiiiiiiiiiiittt's PREVIEW TIME!**

* * *

_When Blaze saw the wound his mother had taken in the battle against Striga, time itself seemed to stop for both him, and everyone else in the room as he stared. Then, slowly the light from the candles darkened as his feathers began to ruffle and a murderous gleam stole itself into his eyes._

_The candles suddenly shot into pillers of fire as Blaze gave an eagle-like shree of sadness and **rage**. He shot out of the hollow at near invisible speeds, soaring higher and higher into the air above the Great Tree. All eyes, including those of the blind nest snakes, following his accent._

_So it was impossible for anyone on the island to miss it._

* * *

**Oooooohhh... cool huh. Who's Blaze? Who's his mother? (obvious but it's still a question) What'd he do?**

**You'll find out when that chapter comes out! :D**


	3. Chapter 3

**Fire's Canto chapter 3**

Nobody moved when the egg began to rock.

They just couldn't gather up the will to move for some reason as they all stared at the egg.

It was as if their gizzards were telling them that something so magical and unique was happening before them that they shouldn't miss it no matter what the price.

It was the same for Soren, but he knew that they needed someone knowledgable about these situations in the hollow. He knew he needed to his old nest-maid snake for help.

"…I'm going to go get Ms. P. Everybody stay here and… Otulissa?" Soren started to say, but when Otulissa moved over to the egg, seemingly in a trance focused on the egg and only the egg, he couldn't complete the thought. She was even ignoring the fire in the grate that had started to grow in intencity as the eggs rocking grew in strength.

When she moved her head down closer to the egg, everyone was shocked what started to come gently out of her beak.

"Come on. Come on." One part of the egg was starting to get a small ring of cracks. "Come on little one."

She churred gently at some thought that crossed her mind. Aparantly it and her gentle spurring encouraged whatever was in the egg to try harder to get out.

"Come on then. Come on little one. Come on. Come on out and see your Mum."

That seemed to be even more encouraging for the little chick, as it could be nothing else with an egg tooth like that, finally poked it's head out of the egg. Otulissa churred at the fact that a large piece of the egg was stuck to the chick's head. She removed the piece for it and moved away a little to allow it to continue cracking open it's prison.

It crooned to her happily and went to work. Everyone in the hollow could agree that that simple little croon was one of the most beautiful sounds they've ever heard. Any doubts and fears just seemed to melt away at the sound of it. They even felt encouraged to do the things that they were fearful of doing.

When the chick finally flopped out of the egg, Soren almost mistook it for an eagle. But while it's head and body might have matched one (minus the feathers as they were still waiting for it's down to come out), it's neck was far too long and it's beak was too long and narrow. It looked more like a herring with those than any eagle or owl.

Even though it had come out of the egg not seconds before, the little chick started to wobble around the hollow, looking at this and that or whatever caught it's interest. They all churred at the cute sight of it stumbling about, until Otulissa had enough and started to lead it over to the nest.

When it saw the fire, it crooned in absolute delight before wobbling over to the grate. The closer the chick got to the fire though, the stronger the flames raged until, when he finally reached it, they had become a contained inferno.

It stood still, staring into the fire. So entranced with them, that none of Otulissa's proding could disuade it from the flames.

Soren saw the look in it's vivid green eyes, and was startled to find that it was the same look he had in his own eyes when going on a Collaring expedition with the rest of the chaw.

Seeing the beast of fire as it snapped it furious but futile defiance at the air above it.

Hearing the roar that would embolden those who would dare to challenge it's depths for the items that would strengthen their own.

And feeling not only the heat of it's rage at itself for the destruction that brings it life, but also the warm gentlness as it veins the earth with nutrients for the future generations.

Others only saw the destruction caused by the power of fire. But both he and the chick saw the entire beast of nature. They couldn't read the flames like those Glaux blessed few with fire sight, but they could fully understand, respect, and love one of nature's greatest champions.

They all gasped in shock when the chick suddenly snapped his head into the fire before pulling something out.

"Soren boyo? Octavia is going on and on about some Blaze that's been born. What's going on in here?" Ezylryb asked as he landed on the edge of the outside hollow exit.

Ezylryb, a Whiskered Screech, was the weather interpretation teacher of the Great Tree. He was one of the most knowledgable of the tree, as well as one of the most battle hardened as his permanently squinted left eye, notched beak, and missing talon told. But he was getting on in years, and it was obvious with his graying feathers.

When he saw the chick, which had turned to look at the old owl with the hottest and brightest coal of the fire still in its beak, both of his eyes widened as far as they could ever go. Even he with his extensive knowledge didn't know what species this bird was, but to see a chick, who he could tell hatched only minutes ago, holding a live coal so expertly it wasn't even getting singed, it made for one of the most shocking moments of his life!

This wasn't natural talent. No, this went _beyond the beyond_ of natural talent to be able to something so complex as that. He felt it even right to say that this was a instinctual thing for the chick's species!

He was knocked out of his mussings when it chirped at him around the coal, which he realized was actually a pretty high grade one. It wobbled over to him, stumbling a few times as newborn chicks are prone to do when walking, and presented the coal to him.

He couldn't help but close his eyes and churr happilly at the little one. "Why, I say little blaze, is that for me?"

The chick only chirpped excitedly at his question, keeping a firm hold on the coal. Only minutes old, and already an expert on how to handle a coal. If he lived long enough, he just **had** to have this little one on his double chaw.

"Alright then, I'll go take it to Bubo down in the forge for you." He took the coal, nodded his head happily to the others in the hollow, and flew off to do what he promissed.

The chick seemed to nod happily at Ezylryb's departure before turning around and woddling over to a stunned Otulissa. He rubbed his head into her chest feathers lovingly before looking up at her and chirping with an open mouth. Everyone knew that kind of sound even if it wasn't in words.

'I'm hungry.'

The sound snapped everyone from their stupers, and Soren started to rally the Band to the task.

"Alright, now we've got a hungry chick to feed so here's what everyone's going to do. Gylfie, go down to the base of the tree and grab a cricket or two. Digger, run over to the dinning hollow and see if Cook has and nuts or berries on the off chance that he doesn't eat insects. Twilight, you stay here and watch over them while I go down to get Ms. Plithver. Is everyone alright with this?" he asked.

"Actually, I think I should help out Digger with the berries," Gylfie stated.

"Why do you say that?" Soren asked.

"I don't know. Just feel it in my gizzard."

"Fine then, let's hop to it."

"Blaze…" Otulissa's distracted voice stalled all their advances to the hollow exits as they turned their curious eyes in her direction.

"What?" Soren asked.

She looked up from the chick, a happy gleam in her eyes. "What Ezylryb called him. 'Little blaze.' I think I like that for a name." She looked down at the chick again, who only happily looked back up at her. "My little Blaze."

He cooed happily at the name, before giving the 'I'm hungry' chirp once again.

**A.N.**

**Wow. Been a while since I last updated, but at least it's not as long as my older stories.**

**Blaze has now been reveled, and now it's obvious to those of you who've guessed it, that Blaze is indeed a phoenix. The Great Tree don't know that yet though because nobody has ever heard of a phoenix before.**

**Well, there is one, but I'm not going to reveal who that is until I get there. But I'll give you two hints for you to think over. The person's a she, and she's native to the Southern Kingdoms. Now to leave you to mull over that for a little while.**

**Oh, and that little scene with Otulissa and the hatching egg was a owlised copy of the egg hatching scene in the first Jurassic Park movie.**


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